Do you want to feel good again about democracy and voting? The next round of participatory budgeting is about to begin! This is when you and your neighbors decide how to spend over $1 million in improvements for the 49th Ward.

Each year, I receive over $1 million from the City’s “Aldermanic Menu” program to spend at my discretion on infrastructure improvements in the ward. Seven years ago, I implemented a “participatory budgeting” process in which the residents of my ward decide directly through popular vote how those tax dollars are spent.

The process for determining how to spend the 2016 budget begins TONIGHT (Monday, November 14th). Over the next three weeks, I will host six “Neighborhood Assemblies” (five in English and one in Spanish) throughout the 49th Ward.

The first assembly takes place tonight, Monday, November 14th, 7:00 p.m. (complimentary pizza served at 6:30 p.m.) at New Field Elementary School, 1707 W. Morse (at Clark). If you can’t make this assembly, there are five more to choose from.

For a complete schedule of all upcoming Neighborhood Assemblies, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Attend one of these meetings and learn how the process works and give your input on the types of projects you believe should be funded in the 49th Ward. The meetings will be identical in content, so you need attend only one of the meetings.

Pick the day and location that is most convenient for you and bring your appetite. Pizza and refreshments courtesy of JB Alberto’s Pizza will be served at the evening Neighborhood Assemblies. Coffee and donuts will be served at the Saturday morning session.

Even if you know how participatory budgeting works, you should attend a Neighborhood Assembly. The Neighborhood Assemblies are where the project ideas for next year are first devised. It’s also when we ask for volunteers to serve as “community representatives,” who will be charged with developing project proposals for the ward-wide vote next spring.

We will be considering only proposals for projects that fall within the boundaries of the 49th Ward. To view the 49th ward map, scroll to the bottom of the page.

If you would like more information on participatory budgeting in the 49th Ward, including the participatory budgeting election results and updates on the implementation of the winning projects, visit the Participatory Budgeting pageof my website.

The 49th Ward was the first political jurisdiction in the nation to adopt a participatory budgeting approach to public spending, and it’s been so well-received that I have pledged to make it a permanent fixture in the ward.

This year’s Presidential election was incredibly ugly and divisive. Here in the 49th Ward, we are showing a different way. We are bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to work for the common good.